Kulich (Russian Easter Cake)

Traditional sweet yeast-risen cakes are filled with sliced almonds and vodka-soaked raisins for a treat often eaten before Russian Orthodox Easter services. This recipe makes 4 loaves that are baked in clean, empty food cans. For best results, start the recipe the day before you'll want the cakes.

• Preparation Time: 60 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins
• Calories: 356 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 pinch salt
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• 1 lemon, zested
• ¼ cup orange blossom honey
• 1 tablespoon vodka
• ¼ cup lukewarm water
• 4 clean 14-ounce food cans
• 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar, or more as needed
• 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds, or as needed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Place golden raisins into a bowl, drizzle with vodka, and allow raisins to soften overnight.

Step 3

Mix 1 teaspoon sugar into lukewarm water in a bowl until sugar dissolves. Stir yeast into the water and let stand until the yeast mixture is frothy, about 10 minutes.

Step 4

Heat milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until very warm but not simmering. Stir in saffron threads and cardamom, remove from heat, and let the milk mixture stand until lukewarm.

Step 5

Transfer yeast mixture into a large mixing bowl. Stir milk mixture, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1 cup flour into the yeast mixture, beating until the batter is smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Step 6

Mix melted butter, 1/2 cup sugar, orange blossom honey, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt together in a bowl. Beat butter mixture into the batter, then beat in eggs and egg yolk.

Step 7

Mix 2 1/2 cups of flour into the dough. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup flour onto a work surface and knead dough until it holds together, about 5 minutes; knead soaked golden raisins and 1/2 cup almonds into the dough until well distributed.

Step 8

Form dough into a ball and place into an oiled bowl; turn dough around in the bowl several times to coat outside of dough. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.

Step 9

Punch down dough, knead a few times, and divide dough into 4 pieces. Coat inside of clean 14-ounce cans with butter. Line cans with parchment paper. Roll each piece of dough into a ball, place into a can, and press dough lightly against the inside bottom of can.

Step 10

Cover cans with a cloth and allow dough to rise to the top of the cans, about 45 minutes.

Step 11

Place a baking sheet into the oven; place the cans of dough upright into oven on baking sheet. Bake until kulich are risen and lightly browned, 45 to 50 minutes.

Step 12

Let kulich cool in the cans for about 15 minutes before gently removing from cans to finish cooling on racks.

Step 13

Beat egg white in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy; beat in confectioners' sugar until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Beat lemon juice into frosting.

Step 14

Frost the tops of the kulich and sprinkle tops with 2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds. Refrigerate leftovers.